No elevation of combat readiness for Chinese drill: MND

Taipei, April 18 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has not elevated its combat readiness, despite an ongoing live-fire military exercise conducted by the China's People's Liberation Army, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.

MND spokesman Chen Chung-chi (陳中吉) called the live-fire exercise a routine drill, maintaining that claims that it is the first such exercise in the Taiwan Strait since 2015 are overplaying its scope.

The drill is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to midnight in waters off Quanzhou in China's southeastern Fujian Province. It is contained within China's territory, and according to the MND's previous reports from a few days ago, it is not large or long, and has been labeled a routine drill based on precedent.

Taiwan has therefore maintained its current level of combat preparedness, which will not be dictated by any slight action by China, and is confident that its military can defend the country, Chen continued.

A video was posted on the MND spokesman's official Facebook page later that same day, stressing that Taiwan's military is always prepared to protect its people and will continue to train and stay vigilant.